Lighter

ABSTRACT

A safety gas lighter with a loosely mounted striking wheel, comprises a lighter body, topped by a lighter head, an gas release valve, a pressing lever for gas release, a spring, a flint, and a wheel assembly with an axle. The diameter of the axle integrated with the first side wheel is smaller than the diameter of the inner opening of the striking wheel, and the diameter of side wheels are larger than diameter of striking wheel. When in use, because and the diameter of side wheels are larger than diameter of striking wheel, the thumb would strike the side wheels. For children, because their hands are small, and their strengths cannot be compared with the adults, they can only rotate side wheels, but cannot rotate striking wheels, so the children cannot light fire using the lighter. When adults are using the lighter, they will be able to rotate the side wheels as well as the striking wheel. The striking wheel will touch the flint, to generate sparks, and light fires. Because children would not be able to light the fire, only adults can light the fire, the lighter is a safety type lighter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application claiming the benefit of prior filed United States patent application entitled “Lighter” with application date Jun. 14, 2005, and application Ser. No. 11/151,398.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a safety gas lighter. More particular, the present invention relates to a safety gas lighter wherein the striking wheel is specially designed to provide safety features.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional gas lighter using striking wheel and flint are easy to use, reliable and production cost is low. However, children may accidentally operate it and cause fire and/or burn injury. Therefore, safety measures are needed in order to prevent accidental operations by children.

Many types of safety devices were developed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,069, a rotatable wheel hood having a safety position and an activation position is placed over the striking wheel. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,733, a ratchet-pawl mechanism was used. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,024, a pair of brake discs and a pair of brake devices are placed outside of the two driving wheels. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,197, two brake members work in conjunction of the two turning wheels to stop the rotation of the striking wheel assembly. These designs all added more components in the lighters, increased the cost, and it is possible that mal-function will occur, cannot guarantee safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention presents a safe and simple design to prevent accidental operations by children and easy to use for adults.

A safety gas lighter with striking wheel comprises a lighter body, topped by a lighter head, a gas release valve, a pressing lever for gas release, a spring, a flint, and a wheel assembly with an axle. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the axle of the wheel assembly is fixed to a first side wheel of the wheel assembly, a second side wheel is mounted to the second end of the axle, while a striking wheel is loosely mounted on the axle and between the first and second side wheel. The outside diameter of the striking wheel is smaller than the outside diameters of the first and second side wheel. The inside diameter of the striking wheel is larger than the outside diameter of the axle. Therefore, if only the first and second side wheels are stroked by a thumb, the striking wheel will not turn, and the safety gas lighter of the present invention will not light a fire; however when extra force is used, the thumb will press more inward, and the striking wheel will be stroked to rotate and generate sparks to light a fire.

For this design, for children, because their hands are small, and their strengths cannot be compared with the adults, they can only rotate side wheels, but cannot rotate striking wheel, so the children cannot light fire when they play with the lighter. When adults are using the lighter, their hands will touch the side wheels as well as the striking wheels, to make the side wheels and striking wheel rotate simultaneously. The striking wheel will touch the flint, to generate sparks, and light fires. Because children would not be able to light fire, only adults can light fire, the lighter is a safety type lighter.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first side wheel of the wheel assembly is affixed to the first end of the axle of the wheel assembly, a second side wheel is mounted to the second end of the axle, while a striking wheel is loosely mounted on the axle and between the first and second side wheel. The outside diameter of the striking wheel is smaller than the outside diameters of the first and second side wheel. The inside diameter of the striking wheel is larger than the outside diameter of the axle. The outer surface of the axle comprises tooth-like surface, and the inside surface of the striking wheel may also have tooth-like surface. One of the first side wheel and the second side wheel may have a smooth surface, the other a tooth-like surface.

For children, because their hands are small, and their strengths cannot be compared with the adults, they will either not be able to rotate the axle at all because they thumbs will slip over the sides wheels, or not be able to rotate the striking wheel to strike a fire because the force for rotating the axle is not sufficient.

When adults are using the lighter, just as for children, their thumbs will touch the side wheels but not the striking wheels. But for adults, their strengths will enable them to rotate the side wheels to rotate axle, and sufficiently rotate the striking wheel. The striking wheel will touch the flint, to generate sparks, and light fires. Because children would not be able to light fire, only adults can light fire, the lighter is a safety type lighter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will in more detail be described with reference to the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the lighter of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lighter of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the cross section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the cross section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the lighter of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the lighter of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the cross section of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the cross section of the another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, a safety gas lighter 1 with a loosely mounted striking wheel, comprises a lighter body 3 containing fuels for the lighter 1; topped by a lighter head 8 having a gas release valve 7, a flame adjusting ring 6, a pair of supporting frame 80 and 81, and a lighter head inner surface 82 defining a lighter head inner cavity 83; a pressing lever 5 for gas release having a cover end 51, a press end 52, a lever inner surface 53 defining a lever inner opening 54, and a pair of lever axles 55 and 56; a spring 9 located inside the lighter head inner cavity 83 and constrained by the lighter head inner surface 82; a flint 10 located inside the lighter head inner cavity 83 and constrained by the lighter head inner surface 82; a wheel assembly 20 comprising a first side wheel 102 having a first side wheel outer surface 1021, an axle 101 having an axle outer surface 1010, a first axle end 1011 and a second axle end 1012, a second side wheel 4 having a second side wheel outer surface 41 and a second side wheel inner surface 42, and a striking wheel 301 having a striking wheel outer surface 3011 and a striking wheel inner surface 302 defining a striking wheel inner opening 303, wherein the striking wheel inner opening 303 is in a cylinder shape; and a windshield cover 2 covering the lighter head 8. The supporting frame 80 and 81 comprises a first pair of mounting slots 801, 811, and a second pair of mounting slots 802, 812 respectively. The pair of lever axles 55 and 56 are pivotally mounted on the supporting frame 80 and 81 at the second pair of mounting slots 802 and 812 respectively, wherein the cover end 51 of the pressing lever 5 covers the gas release valve 7 in ordinary position, wherein when the press end 52 of the pressing lever 5 is pressed down, the cover end 51 of the pressing lever 5 will go up, and uncover the gas release valve 7, and then the fuel inside the lighter body 3 will be released to provide fuel for the safety gas lighter 1. The released gas from the gas release valve 7 will go upwards and fill the space within the windshield cover 2. Release the pressing lever 5, the cover end 51 comes down, and the gas release valve 7 is closed, and the fuel supply is stopped.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the first side wheel 102 is fixed to the first axle end 1011, wherein the second side wheel 4 is mounted to the second axle end 1012, and can be removed from the second axle end 1012.

The axle 101 is pivotally mounted on the supporting frames 80 and 81, wherein the first axle end 1011 and the second axle end 1012 are mounted on the first pair of mounting slots 801, 811 respectively. The striking wheel 301 is pivotally mounted on the axle 101 between the first side wheel 102 and the second side wheel 4, wherein the axle 101 is mainly is cylinder shape, and the inner openings of the second side wheel 4, and the striking wheel 301 are in cylinder shapes, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel inner opening 303 is larger than the diameter of the axle 101, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel outer surface 3011 is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel outer surface 1021 and the diameter of the second side wheel outer surface 41, wherein the rotation of the striking wheel 301 is independent from the rotation of the first side wheel 102, the second side wheel 4, and the axle 101. Preferably, the axle outer surface 1010 and the striking wheel inner surface 302 are smooth surfaces, while the first side wheel outer surface 1021, the striking wheel outer surface 3011 and the second side wheel outer surface 41 are tooth like surfaces for better contact with the thumb. The flint 10 is supported by the spring 9 on the bottom, going through the lever inner opening 53 of the pressing lever 5 and restrained by the striking wheel 301 on the top and in contact with the striking wheel 301, wherein when the striking wheel rotates, the flint 10 will be stroked to generate sparks. When the pressing level 5 is pressed down at the same time, the gas release valve 7 will release gas, to be lighted by the sparks and provides fire.

In the present invention, if only the first side wheel 102 and the second side wheel 4 are stroked by a thumb, the first side wheel 102, the second side wheel 4, and the axle 101 will rotate, but the striking wheel will not rotate, and the safety gas lighter 1 will not light a fire. When extra force is used, the thumb will press more inward, and the striking wheel will be stroked to rotate and generate sparks to light a fire. For small children, their thumbs are small, and their strengths are weak, the chance of them accidentally lighting fires by the safety gas lighter of the present invention is small. For adults, a little bit of extra force is needed to use the safety gas lighter of the present invention, but no significant difference. It is still easy to use.

In normal operation, the striking wheel is rotated and the press end 52 of the pressing lever 5 is pressed virtually simultaneously, that means the gas is released by the gas release valve 7 while sparks are generated when the flint 10 is rubbed. The sparks ignite the fuel gas and a flame is maintained so long as the press end 52 of the pressing lever 5 is pressed downward. The flame adjusting ring 6 can be adjusted to control the magnitude of the fire.

Alternatively, the striking wheel 301 can be fixed to the axle 101, and the first side wheel 102 and the second side wheel 4 can be pivotally mounted to the axle 101, wherein when the thumb strikes the first side wheel 102 and the second side wheel 4, only the first side wheel 102 and the second side wheel 4 will rotate. The axle 101 and the striking wheel 301 will not rotate, unless the striking wheel 301 is stroked by the thumb directly.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, a safety gas lighter 1′ with a loosely mounted striking wheel, comprises a lighter body 3′ containing fuels for the lighter 1′; topped by a lighter head 8′ having a gas release valve 7′, a flame adjusting ring 6′, a pair of supporting frame 80′ and 81′, and a lighter head inner surface 82′ defining a lighter head inner cavity 83′ a pressing lever 5′ for gas release having a cover end 51′, a press end 52′, a lever inner surface 53′ defining a lever inner opening 54′, and a pair of lever axles 55′ and 56′; a spring 9′ located inside the lighter head inner cavity 83′ and constrained by the lighter head inner surface 82′; a flint 10′ located inside the lighter head inner cavity 83′ and constrained by the lighter head inner surface 82′; a wheel assembly 20′ comprising a first side wheel 102′ having a first side wheel outer surface 1021′, an axle 101′ having an axle outer surface 1010′, a first axle end 1011′ and a second axle end 1012′, a second side wheel 4′ having a second side wheel outer surface 41′and a second side wheel inner surface 42′, and a striking wheel 301′ having a striking wheel outer surface 3011′ and a striking wheel inner surface 302′ defining a striking wheel inner opening 303′, and a windshield cover 2′ covering the lighter head 8′. The supporting frame 80′ and 81′ comprises a first pair of mounting slots 801′, 811′, and a second pair of mounting slots 802′, 812′ respectively. The pair of lever axles 55′ and 56′ are pivotally mounted on the supporting frame 80′ and 81′ at the second pair of mounting slots 802′ and 812′ respectively, wherein the cover end 51′ of the pressing lever 5′ covers the gas release valve 7′ in ordinary position, wherein when the press end 52′ of the pressing lever 5′ is pressed down, the cover end 51′ of the pressing lever 5′ will go up, and uncover the gas release valve 7′, and then the fuel inside the lighter body 3′ will be released to provide fuel for the safety gas lighter 1′. The released gas from the gas release valve 7′ will go upwards and fill the space within the windshield cover 2′. Release the pressing lever 5′, the cover end 51′ comes down, and the gas release valve 7′ is closed, and the fuel supply is stopped.

As seen in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the first side wheel 102′ is fixed to the first axle end 1011′, wherein the second side wheel 4′ is mounted to the second axle end 1012′, and can be removed from the second axle end 1012′. The axle 101′ is pivotally mounted on the supporting frames 80′ and 81′, wherein the first axle end 1011′ and the second axle end 1012′ are mounted on the first pair of mounting slots 801′, 811′ respectively. The striking wheel 301′ is pivotally and loosely mounted on the axle 101′ between the first side wheel 102′ and the second side wheel 4′, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel inner surface 302′ is larger than the diameter of the axle 101′, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel outer surface 3011′ is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel outer surface 1021′ and the diameter of the second side wheel outer surface 41′, wherein the diameter of the second side wheel outer surface 41′ may be smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel outer surface 1021′. The axle outer surface 1010′ of the axle 101′ may be a tooth-like surface. The striking wheel inner surface 302′ may also be a tooth-like surface. The first side wheel outer surface 1021′ of the first side wheel 102′ may be a smooth surface and the second side wheel outer surface 41′ of the second side wheel 4′ may be a tooth-like surface for better contact with the thumb. The tooth-like surface of the axle outer surface 1010′, the tooth-like surface of the striking wheel inner surface 302′, along with the smooth surface of the first side wheel 102′ and the tooth-like surface of the second side wheel outer surface 41′, and the smaller diameter of the second side wheel outer surface 41′ comparing with the first side wheel outer surface 1021′ will ensure that the lighter is easy to use for adults, but safe for children. The thumb of a child will be small, and with less force. Therefore, it is very unlikely that a child be able to press, rotate the first side wheel 102′, the second side wheel 4′, to rotate the axle 101′ and the striking wheel 301′, especially because of the smooth surface of the first side wheel 102′, and the difference between the size of the first side wheel 102′ and the second side wheel 4′.

For an adult, the thumb will be able to press, rotate the first side wheel 102′, the second side wheel 4′, so that the axle 101′ will be rotated. As the axle 101′ is rotated, the tooth-like surface of the axle outer surface 1010′ and the tooth-like surface of the striking wheel 302′ will interact with each other. As the striking wheel inner surface 302′ is pressed on to the tooth-like surface of the axle outer surface 1010′, the tooth-like surface of the axle outer surface 1010′ will likely engage the striking wheel inner surface 302′. In this preferred embodiment, the striking wheel outer surface 3011′ of the striking wheel 301′ cannot generally be touched by the thumb when people trying to light a fire. But, for adult applying sufficient force, as the axle 101′ is rotated by the rotation of the first side wheel 102′ and the second side wheel 4′ when stroked by the thumb, the striking wheel 301′ will rotate along with the axle 101′ sufficient to generate sparks to light a fire. The flint 10′ is supported by the spring 9′ on the bottom, going through the lever inner opening 53′ of the pressing lever 5′ and restrained by the striking wheel 301′ on the top and in contact with the striking wheel 301′, wherein when the striking wheel rotates, the flint 10′ will be stroked to generate sparks. When the pressing level 5′ is pressed down at the same time, the gas release valve 7′ will release gas, to be lighted by the sparks and provides fire.

In normal operation, the striking wheel is rotated and the press end 52′ of the pressing lever 5′ is pressed virtually simultaneously, that means the gas is released by the gas release valve 7′ while sparks are generated when the flint 10′ is stroked by striking wheel 301′. The sparks ignite the fuel gas and a flame is maintained so long as the press end 52′ of the pressing lever 5′ is pressed downward. The flame adjusting ring 6′ can be adjusted to control the magnitude of the fire.

Although only a single or few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiment(s) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A safety gas lighter with a loosely mounted striking wheel comprises: a lighter body for containing fuel; a lighter head on the top of the lighter body and connected with the lighter body, comprising a gas release valve, and a pair of supporting frames, and a lighter head inner surface defining a lighter head inner cavity; a pressing lever pivotally mounted on the lighter head; a spring located inside the lighter head inner cavity and supported by the lighter head inner surface; a flint located inside the lighter head inner cavity and on the top of the spring and supported by the lighter head inner surface; a wheel assembly, comprising a first side wheel, an axle having an axle outer surface, a second side wheel, and a striking wheel having an striking wheel inner surface defining a striking wheel inner opening; wherein the axle comprises a first axle end and a second axle end, and is pivotally mounted on the pair of the supporting frames of the lighter head respectively; wherein the first side wheel is mounted to the first axle end, wherein the second side wheel is mounted to the second axle end; wherein the striking wheel is pivotally mounted on the axle between the first side wheel and the second side wheel, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel inner opening is larger the diameter of the axle, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel and the second side wheel respectively; wherein the striking wheel is in contact with the flint, wherein when the striking wheel rotates, the flint will be stroked to generate sparks; wherein when the pressing lever is pressed down, the gas release valve will release fuel gas.
 2. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first side wheel is fixed to the first end of the axle, wherein the second side wheel is movably fixed to the second end of the axle.
 3. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the press lever further comprises a cover end, a press end, a lever inner surface defining a lever inner opening, and a pair of lever axes, wherein the flint goes through the lever inner opening, wherein the pair of lever axes are pivotally mounted on the pair of supporting frames of the lighter head respectively, where in the cover end closes the gas release valve in normal position, wherein when the press end is pressed down, the cover end will go up and uncover the gas release valve to release fuel gas.
 4. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of supporting frame of the lighter head further comprises a first pair of mounting slots, and a second pair of mounting slots, wherein the first axle end and the second axle end are pivotally mounted to the first pair of mounting slots respectively, wherein the press lever are pivotally mounted to the second pair of mounting slots respectively.
 5. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pair of supporting frame of the lighter head further comprises a first pair of mounting slots, and a second pair of mounting slots, wherein the first axle end and the second axle end are pivotally mounted to the first pair of mounting slots respectively, wherein the pair of lever axes are pivotally mounted on the second pair of mounting slots respectively.
 6. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a flame adjustment ring.
 7. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a windshield cover.
 8. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotation of the striking wheel is independent from the rotation of the first side wheel, the second side wheel, and the axle respectively.
 9. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axle outer surface is a tooth-like surface, wherein the striking wheel inner surface is a tooth-like surface, wherein when the axle is rotated, the axle outer surface will engage the striking wheel inner surface so that the striking wheel may also be rotated.
 10. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first side wheel having a smooth outer surface, wherein the second side wheel having a tooth-like surface.
 11. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of the second side wheel is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel.
 12. A safety gas lighter with a loosely mounted striking wheel comprises: a lighter body for containing gas; a lighter head on the top of the lighter body and connected with the lighter body, comprising a gas release valve, and a pair of supporting frames, and a lighter head inner surface defining a lighter head inner cavity; a pressing lever pivotally mounted on the lighter head; a spring located inside the lighter head inner cavity and supported by the lighter head inner surface; a flint located inside the lighter head inner cavity and on the top of the spring and supported by the lighter head inner surface; a wheel assembly, comprising a first side wheel, an axle, a second side wheel, and a striking wheel, wherein the axle, the first side wheel, the second side wheel, and the striking wheel, are in cylinder shape respectively; wherein the axle comprises a first end and a second end, and is pivotally mounted on the supporting frames; wherein the first side wheel is pivotally mounted to the first axle end, wherein the second side wheel is pivotally mounted to the second axle end; wherein the striking wheel is mounted on the axle between the first side wheel and the second side wheel, wherein the diameter of the striking wheel is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel and the diameter of the second side wheel respectively; wherein the rotation of the striking wheel is independent from the rotation of the first side wheel, and the second side wheel respectively; wherein the striking wheel is in contact with the flint, wherein when the striking wheel rotates, the flint will be stroked to generate spark; wherein when the pressing level is pressed down, the gas release valve will release gas.
 13. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the press lever further comprises a cover end, a press end, a lever inner surface defining a lever inner opening, and a pair of lever axes, wherein the flint goes through the lever inner opening, wherein the pair of lever axes are pivotally mounted on the pair of supporting frames of the lighter head respectively, where in the cover end closes the gas release valve in normal position, wherein when the press end is pressed down, the cover end will go up and uncover the gas release valve to release fuel gas.
 14. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pair of supporting frame of the lighter head further comprises a first pair of mounting slots, and a second pair of mounting slots, wherein the first axle end and the second axle end are pivotally mounted to the first pair of mounting slots respectively, wherein the press lever are pivotally mounted to the second pair of mounting slots respectively.
 15. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pair of supporting frame of the lighter head further comprises a first pair of mounting slots, and a second pair of mounting slots, wherein the first axle end and the second axle end are pivotally mounted to the first pair of mounting slots respectively, wherein the pair of lever axes are pivotally mounted on the second pair of mounting slots respectively.
 16. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the striking wheel is pivotally mounted on the axle.
 17. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, further comprises a flame adjustment ring.
 18. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, further comprises a windshield cover.
 19. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the axle outer surface is a tooth-like surface, wherein the striking wheel inner surface is a tooth-like surface.
 20. The safety gas lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first side wheel having a smooth outer surface, wherein the second side wheel having a tooth-like surface, wherein the diameter of the second side wheel is smaller than the diameter of the first side wheel. 